The present invention disclosed herein relates to a device and a method for injecting microfluidic.
A biochip, a medical cartridge, or the like includes an infinitesimal amount of fluid or reagent. A microfluid injection device is used for the biochip or the medical cartridge. An external pump may be used for the microfluidic injection device to transfer fluids. The external pump may directly inject fluids or may obtain pressure for transferring fluids by applying air pressure. Or, the microfluidic injection device may perform the fluid transfer operation including a structure for performing a pumping operation.
In the case that the biochip or the medical cartridge is disposable, a method for connecting a fluid channel in the microfluidic injection device to an external fluid channel without a leakage of fluids is needed to perform the fluid transfer operation by directly injecting fluids using the external pump of the microfluidic injection device or applying air pressure. However, when the disposable biochip or the medical cartridge is continuously connected and disconnected, it is difficult to connect the channels without the fluid leakage and the fluid leakage may occur due to damage of a connecting structure.
In the case that the microfluidic injection device performs the fluid transfer operation including the pumping structure, an electrical method and a chemical method may be used for transferring fluids. In the case that The microfluidic injection device uses electricity as an energy source, a structure corresponding to an electrode is inserted to the biochip or the medical cartridge so that pressure of gas generated due to electrolyzation may be used or electro-osmosis may be used. However, according to this method, the electrode should be inserted when the biochip or the medical cartridges is manufactured so that manufacturing processes are complicated and manufacturing cost may be increased.
Meanwhile, according to the chemical method, a solution which is decomposed into gas such as oxygenated water is previously injected into the biochip or the medical cartridge, and then, a portion where the solution is included is pierced by a metal needle acting as a catalyst such as platinum so that gas generating reaction is induced and the fluid transferring pressure is obtained. According to the chemical method, strength of materials of the biochip or the medical cartridges is limited. Further, since the metal needle should be moved, in the case of making an automated biochip or cartridge analysis system, the system is complicated and a frequency of malfunction and failure is high.